Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Tower operator salary
Average tower operator salary
$38,634
Understanding Tower Operator Salaries
The average salary for a Tower Operator is around $38,634 per year, equating to approximately $19 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on location, experience, and specific job functions. For instance, entry-level positions typically start at lower rates, while seasoned operators can earn much more.
To provide a clear picture, here are some insights:
- Experience Level: Entry-level tower operators earn less than those with several years of experience, who may command higher wages.
- State Variations: States like California and Texas often offer higher salaries due to demand and cost of living considerations.
- City Opportunities: Certain cities are known for better compensation, and exploring these can significantly impact overall earnings.
Understanding these factors can help aspiring tower operators make informed decisions about their career paths. For further details on specific salaries by state or city, check our comprehensive guides.
Let Zippia find your next tower operator job
Let Zippia find your next tower operator job
Where can a Tower Operator earn more?
Tower operator salaries by experience level
Average tower operator salary by state
The average tower operator salary in Washington, California, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average tower operator salary states are Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for tower operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $40,238 | $19.35 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $38,947 | $18.72 |
| 3 | Arizona | $42,689 | $20.52 |
| 4 | Washington | $55,892 | $26.87 |
| 5 | California | $50,901 | $24.47 |
| 6 | Alaska | $41,773 | $20.08 |
| 7 | Montana | $38,240 | $18.38 |
| 8 | Colorado | $39,237 | $18.86 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $35,832 | $17.23 |
| 10 | Oregon | $38,892 | $18.70 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $36,342 | $17.47 |
| 12 | New York | $42,778 | $20.57 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $37,199 | $17.88 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $34,667 | $16.67 |
| 15 | Utah | $37,963 | $18.25 |
| 16 | Iowa | $35,536 | $17.08 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $36,867 | $17.72 |
| 18 | Indiana | $36,377 | $17.49 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $34,950 | $16.80 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $34,434 | $16.55 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $37,605 | $18.08 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $34,190 | $16.44 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $35,874 | $17.25 |
| 24 | Maryland | $35,082 | $16.87 |
| 25 | Georgia | $33,874 | $16.29 |
| 26 | Maine | $32,530 | $15.64 |
| 27 | Virginia | $35,404 | $17.02 |
| 28 | Idaho | $35,969 | $17.29 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $35,264 | $16.95 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $34,040 | $16.37 |
| 31 | Texas | $33,338 | $16.03 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $32,855 | $15.80 |
| 33 | Ohio | $33,892 | $16.29 |
| 34 | Nevada | $32,688 | $15.72 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $33,525 | $16.12 |
| 36 | Alabama | $31,510 | $15.15 |
| 37 | Florida | $32,720 | $15.73 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $32,505 | $15.63 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $32,874 | $15.80 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | $30,642 | $14.73 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $29,971 | $14.41 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $30,344 | $14.59 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $31,082 | $14.94 |
| 44 | Michigan | $30,549 | $14.69 |
| 45 | Missouri | $31,892 | $15.33 |
| 46 | Vermont | $29,807 | $14.33 |
| 47 | Delaware | $31,307 | $15.05 |
| 48 | Kansas | $27,964 | $13.44 |
| 49 | Illinois | $28,718 | $13.81 |
| 50 | Connecticut | $31,131 | $14.97 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $27,443 | $13.19 |
Highest paying cities for tower operators
The highest-paying cities for tower operators are Redwood City, CA, San Jose, CA, and Sacramento, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $51,936 | $24.97 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $51,841 | $24.92 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $51,630 | $24.82 |
| 4 | Yuba City, CA | $51,593 | $24.80 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $42,777 | $20.57 |
| 6 | Fort Collins, CO | $39,424 | $18.95 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $39,297 | $18.89 |
| 8 | Englewood, CO | $39,296 | $18.89 |
| 9 | Colorado Springs, CO | $39,174 | $18.83 |
| 10 | Kapaa, HI | $37,799 | $18.17 |
| 11 | Kekaha, HI | $37,787 | $18.17 |
| 12 | Des Moines, IA | $35,411 | $17.02 |
| 13 | Abilene, TX | $33,605 | $16.16 |
| 14 | Sparks, NV | $33,324 | $16.02 |
| 15 | Lake City, FL | $33,285 | $16.00 |
| 16 | Antigo, WI | $33,183 | $15.95 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $32,584 | $15.67 |
| 18 | Saint Peters, MO | $31,863 | $15.32 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $31,830 | $15.30 |
| 20 | Huntsville, AL | $31,720 | $15.25 |
Tower operator salary details
A tower operator's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $58,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a tower operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| Average | $38,634 | $3,220 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying tower operator jobs
The highest paying types of tower operators are hot metal crane operator, pouring crane operator, and crane operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tow Truck Driver | $38,555 | $3,213 | $18.54 | 666,918 |
| Crane Operator | $54,275 | $4,523 | $26.09 | 34,918 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Tow Truck Operator | $43,448 | $3,621 | $20.89 | 72,416 |
Top companies hiring tower operators now:
Which companies pay tower operators the most?
Tower operator salaries at Reckitt Benckiser and Canadian Pacific Railway are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average tower operator salary at companies like Deer Valley Ranch and Timco Aviation Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reckitt Benckiser | $44,558 | $21.42 |
| 2 | Canadian Pacific Railway | $41,120 | $19.77 |
| 3 | Deer Valley Ranch | $38,752 | $18.63 |
| 4 | Timco Aviation Services | $38,343 | $18.43 |
| 5 | The Green Machine | $38,315 | $18.42 |
| 6 | AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah | $36,824 | $17.70 |
| 7 | Alaka`ina Foundation Family Of Companies | $36,407 | $17.50 |
| 8 | Huntsville Hospital | $35,728 | $17.18 |
| 9 | GROWMARK | $35,297 | $16.97 |
| 10 | Bridgestone | $34,861 | $16.76 |
| 11 | Alterra Mountain | $31,987 | $15.38 |
| 12 | Snowbird | $30,580 | $14.70 |
| 13 | Caesars Entertainment | $28,836 | $13.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Tower Operator salary by industry
The average tower operator salary varies across industries:
- The average tower operator salary in the transportation industry is $39,036, the highest of any industry.
- The average tower operator salary in the finance industry is $37,954.
- Tower operators in the automotive industry earn an average salary of $37,206, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for tower operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $39,036 | $18.77 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $37,954 | $18.25 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $37,368 | $17.97 |
| 4 | Automotive | $37,206 | $17.89 |
High paying tower operator jobs
Tower operator salary trends
The average tower operator salary has risen by $8,573 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average tower operator earned $30,061 annually, but today, they earn $38,634 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for tower operators over the last decade.
Compare tower operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average tower operator salary over time
Compare tower operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Tower operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $38,600 | $18.57 | +5.1% |
| 2025 | $36,700 | $17.63 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $35,000 | $16.84 | +3.6% |
| 2023 | $33,800 | $16.24 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $33,800 | $16.23 | +1.0% |
Recently added tower operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah Insurance Exchange | Emergency Roadside Tow Operator | Concord, CA | 06/26/2025 | $73,045 |
| H3 Towing Services | Tow Operator | Hudson, OH | 06/25/2025 | $33,392 |
| Darigold | Tower Operator | Sunnyside, WA | 06/17/2025 | $40,947 |
| Aaa Ncnu | Emergency Roadside Tow Operator | Sacramento, CA | 06/09/2025 | $49,566 |
| Aerotek | Conditioning Tower Operator | Mapleton, ND | 05/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Darigold Careers | Tower Operator | Sunnyside, WA | 05/16/2025 | $40,947 |
| Aaa Ncnu | Emergency Roadside Tow Operator | Sacramento, CA | 04/28/2025 | $49,566 |
| Aaa Ncnu | Emergency Roadside Tow Operator | Sacramento, CA | 03/28/2025 | $49,566 |
| Aaa Ncnu | Emergency Tow Operator | Sacramento, CA | 02/27/2025 | $49,566 |
| Marathon County Social Services | Sylvan Hill Tow Operator II-Seasonal | Wausau, WI | 02/18/2025 | $29,218 |
Search for tower operator jobs